Local school officials: Be skeptical of TV ad about class sizes

Jan. 31, 2009

Updated Aug. 21, 2013 1:17 p.m.

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Kindergarten teacher Amy Zeppa works with a small group of children at Wood Canyon Elementary School in Aliso Viejo in this June 2008 photo. Orange County education officials say that under the governor's budget proposal, class sizes in kindergarten through third grade -- currently capped at 20 children -- might be increased by two or three pupils next fall. FILE PHOTO: PAUL RODRIGUEZ, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

Kindergarten teacher Amy Zeppa works with a small group of children at Wood Canyon Elementary School in Aliso Viejo in this June 2008 photo. Orange County education officials say that under the governor's budget proposal, class sizes in kindergarten through third grade -- currently capped at 20 children -- might be increased by two or three pupils next fall. FILE PHOTO: PAUL RODRIGUEZ, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

Orange County education officials are warning parents to be cautious about interpreting a new TV ad that claims Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and some lawmakers are using the state's economic downturn as "an excuse" to eliminate smaller class sizes in the primary grades.

The ad, set to begin airing this weekend, is part of a new campaign by the California teachers union to urge defeat of Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's controversial proposal for helping schools weather reduced funding levels.

In essence, the governor's plan would allow schools to use state money that's earmarked for specific programs and services, including the class-size reduction program, or CSR, to help make up for general-fund revenue shortfalls.

CSR guarantees a 20:1 student-teacher ratio in kindergarten through third grade by subsidizing teacher salaries.

"Nobody would want to eliminate class-size reduction if they didn't have to," said Wendy Benkart, the Orange County Department of Education's assistant superintendent of business services. "However, our school districts would prefer to have flexibility and local control on how to spend their dollars, including class-size reduction dollars."

If California school districts get that flexibility, it would give them an estimated $1.3 billion in CSR funds to spend as they see fit.

The state teachers union, however, warns that some school districts would elect to stop funding smaller class sizes altogether as they grapple with their budget woes.

The end result would be teacher layoffs and communities devastated by suddenly big class sizes, especially impoverished areas with high minority populations who struggle academically, union leaders said Friday during a telephone news conference from Sacramento.

"Our concern is that this proposal gives the district administrators carte blanche to be able to spend the money however they want, with no accountability," California Teachers Association President David Sanchez said.

But local officials say the situation in Orange County wouldn't be as dire as the union predicts. At most, class sizes in grades K-3 might be increased by two or three children each, to 22 or 23 students, Benkart said.

And with slightly higher class sizes in the primary grades, it might even be possible to reduce class sizes in the upper grades, she added.

"Parents think very highly of the class-size reduction program, but when you're forced to make cuts of this magnitude, it's better for each district to be able to make the decisions," Benkart said.

Orange County schools received $124.5 million from the state in CSR funds last year.

Without spending flexibility, the 34,000-student Saddleback Valley Unified School District last year was forced to modify its popular 20:1 ratio in the third grade as part of its budget-cutting plan. Instead of an all-day 20:1 student-teacher ratio in third grade classes, about 10 children are now pulled out of larger classes for part of their day to receive instruction in language arts and math.

"I want to see our district get all the flexibility possible," said Saddleback school board President Ginny Fay Aitkens. "We don't want to get rid of small class sizes altogether, but we need to have a little bit more leeway in the number of kids in each class. Then the kids are still holding onto smaller class sizes, and we're still getting the money."

To view the California Teachers Association's new TV ad about class sizes, go to www.cta.org.

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